Orange Loses Twice on First Day of Sunshine State Tournament

Friday, February 18

Tallahassee, Fla.

5 p.m. ET

Syracuse University

vs. SE Louisiana (Sunshine State Tournament)

Tanya Rose had three hits and three RBI in two games on Friday.

Orange Loses Twice on First Day of Sunshine State Tournament

2/18/2005 10:23:52 PM | Softball

FSU 5, SU 4
SELU 4, SU 2

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Syracuse softball team (1-2) lost its first two games of the Sunshine State Tournament hosted by Florida State on Friday, Feb. 18. SU lost to the host Seminoles (6-4), 5-4 in eight innings, and to Southeastern Louisiana (4-3), 4-2.

SU almost pulled off its second consecutive win against a ranked team, losing a hard-fought 5-4 eight-inning game in its first game of the day against the 15^th-ranked Seminoles. Tanya Rose led the offense with two hits and two runs batted in, while Courtney Mosch knocked in one run on two hits. Senior Shawna Norris had her first in a Syracuse uniform, while freshman Chanel Roehner recorded her first career hit. Cassie Morales and Alexis Switenko each had singles.

Mosch (1-1) was the losing pitcher in relief. She threw two and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on two hits. She struck out two and walked two. Freshman Erin Downey made her first career start, allowing four runs on eight hits in five and one-third innings. She struck out three and walked one. Casey Hunter (3-3) was the winner, throwing four and two-thirds innings of relief. She allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on five hits and struck out six.

Veronica Wootson had three hits and two runs batted in to lead the FSU offense. Brittany Osmon had two RBI, while Tatiana George had two hits.

Syracuse took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a two-out bases loaded double by Rose. Florida State cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth inning on a Kim Hoffer RBI single. SU got the run back in the home half of the inning on an RBI double by Mosch.

Florida State took its first lead of the game in the top of the sixth. Osmon tied the game with a two-run triple and Wootson gave the Seminoles a 4-3 lead with a single. The Orange tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Switenko started the rally with a one-out single and moved to second when Mosch reached on an error. Norris drove in the tying run with a single. The inning ended when the Orange popped into a double play.

Once the game went into extra innings, the international tie-breaker rule went into effect. SU got the first two outs of the inning with the Seminole runner advancing only to third. After a walk put runners on the corners, Wooston delivered again with her second RBI of the game. SU couldn’t advance its tie-breaker runner in the bottom of the eighth, going down in order.

Southeastern Louisiana scored all of its runs in the top of the second inning take a 4-2 win in the nightcap. Syracuse was led by Roehner’s two hits and first career RBI and two hits by Norris. Rose also had a hit and drove in a run.

Mosch (1-2) was the losing pitcher, pitching SU’s first complete game of the season. She allowed four runs, all earned, striking out seven and walking three. All three of the walks scored. Jessica Sander (1-1) was the winner, giving up two runs on seven hits in seven innings.

SELU’s offense was led by Lacy Kirkland’s two hits. Diane Darnley knocked in two, as did Jenaye Zeringue.

The Lions plated four runs in the fourth inning after loading the bases on three walks. Zeringue delivered two of the runs with a single and Darnely tripled to bring in the last two. Syracuse scored its first run in the bottom of the third. Katie Kaempfer singled and moved to third on two wild pitches. Rose drove in the run with a sacrifice fly. SU made the score 4-2 in the fifth when Rose tripled with two outs and scored on Roehner’s double.

Syracuse will play South Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. The Gamecocks split their first two games, losing to Florida State and defeating Southeastern Louisiana. After the conclusion of round-robin play, the top-seeded team will play the fourth-seeded team at 2 p.m. and the three-seed will play the two-seed at 4 p.m.